Air rifle



Dec. 8, 1942. w, A, TRM-5CH Y 2,304,320

AIR RIFLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 29, 1941 INVENTOR. ff

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Dec. 8, 1942. A. TRATscH AIR RIFLE Filed Nov. 29, 1941 2 sheets-sheet z WaZzerA. vla

INVENTOK fw? ,4f/.5 jffan/i/ I Patented Dec. 8, 1942 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE AIR. RIFLE Walter A. Tratsch, Chicago, lll.

Application November 29, 1941, Serial No. 420,952

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in air rifles and has as its principal object the provision of a trigger control for such rifle which will be simple in structureleconomical in manufacture and highly eicient in use.

Another' object of this invention is the provision of a trigger controlled air valve and a novel locking device for such trigger control after a predetermined number of shots have been projected from the rifle.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a valve control for air rifles which valve control will be uniform and positive in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of this invention is found in the cooperative relationship of the Various elements which contributeto the complete combination hereinafter described in View of the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevational View of a rifle stock embodying the invention; Y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the rifle 'barrel and shot loading magazine associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a framentary `perspective View of an end of a breech block and is complementary to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View, partly in section of the magazine as seen from line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional detail through the rifle barrel and magazine as seen from line 5 5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the breech block and trigger control embodying the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the breech block and trigger control associated therewith;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational View of the same as seen in 'l with parts in a different position;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional detail view taken through the breech block substantially along the long axis of the rifle barrel, looking in the direction of line 9 3 in Fig., 7;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional detail view of a position of Fig. 9 illustrating a shot in position to be projected;

Fig. 1i is a sectional detail View of the shot elevator, similar to that of Fig. 9, but with parts in a different position; and

l2` is a vertical cross sectional detail View taken through the breech block substantially along line I2-I2 in Fig. 9.

' Referring to the drawings, the new air rifle is indicated at I9 and includes the customary stock I i, barrel i2 andbreech housing I3. The stock Il extends forwardly of the housing I3 to pro- Vide the usual hand grip I4 which is formed interiorly to provide a chamber I5 within which disposed a loading magazine I6. This maga- !6 comprises a tubular member I'l slotted at the bottom as at I8 to provide a guideway for a pin I5 carried by a plunger 20 disposed to slide within the tube I1. The tube I1 has its fore end attached to the barrel I2 by means of a bracket 2| and its opposite end reduced to provide a shoulder 22 whereby the barrel I2 and tube Il may be arranged parallel to each other by openings O formed in a breech block 23 later to be explained.

'The plunger 20 is urged toward the breech block 23 by a spring 24 arranged behind the plunger 2U within the tube l1. In loading the rie Iii a panel 25 is slid forwardly as seen in Fig. 2 to expose a loading port 26 to View. The panel 25 is guided for such sliding movement by a pair of guide blocks 21 extending therefrom and adapted to ride upon the barrel I2 along grooves 28 formed therein. A bolt 29 is provided on the panel 25 to facilitate a hand hold wherewith to slide the panel 25 as aforesaid. A pin 39 is mounted upon the panel 25 for movement therewith and extends into the chamber I5 for engagement with the depending pin I9 carried by the plunger 20. The arrangement is such. that movement of the panel 25 forwardly as before explained, causes movement of the plunger 2i] against the action of the spring 24 to Withdraw the plunger 20 Vfrom that region of the tube Il to the left of the loading port 26 (Figs. 2 and 4) The magazine is then loaded with shot in the form of balls 3l by pouring the latter, in predetermined and fixed numbers, into the port 26 for alignment within the magazine I6. The panel 25 is then returned to normal position (Fig. l) wherein the spring-urged plunger Will urge the balls toward the breech bloclr23l for successive use in a manner now to be described.

The present rifle is constructed to obtain air under pressure from an outside source. A nipple 32 extends downwardly from the breech block 23 and is adapted to be connected to any suitable conduit for conveying compressed air to the riile. A passage 33 is formed in the breech block 23 to receive air from the nipple 32. A Valve 34 isV arranged at right angles to the passage 33 and comprises a plunger 35 having a cap 36 normally urged onto the valve seat by air pressure surging into the passage 33. The valve plunger 35 is reduced in its mid-section to permit air to pass toward a jet 31 formed in the breech block 23 and communicating said valve 34 with the bore in the rifle barrel |2.

Disposed at the point of juncture of the jet 31 and the barrel I2 is the head end of a shot elevating device which comprises a tubular housing 38 vertically arranged with respect `to the breech block 23 in a plane transversely of the parallelly disposed axis of the barrel l2 and loading magazine l5. An elevator block 39 is arranged in the housing 38 for vertical movement and is normally disposed in lowered position as seen in Fig. 9 with a shot receiving pocket 45 disposed in align,- ment with the tubular member |1 of the maga- Zine l5. Extending from this pocket 55 is a passage 4| adapted to be aligned with the horizontal portion of the jet 31 andthe bore of the barrel l2 `as is seen in Fig. 10 when the block 39 is elevated in a manner now to be explained.

The housing 38 is slotted along one side as at '42v (Figs. 7 and 8) and arranged in this slot 42 is Ithe free end 430i a leverarm 44 pivotally mountedras at 45 upon the breech block 23. The end 43 ofthis lever 44 is in the form of a yoke and engages a cross pin 45 formed in a slotted bottom of the elevator block 39. The lever arm 44has pin i1 and slot 43 connection with a trigger member 49 pivotally arranged as at 55 upon the breech block 23. The slot 48 is formed in the lever 44 while the pin 41 is carried by the trigger member 49. The arrangement is such that when the trigger 49 is pulled back in normal shooting fashion the pin 41 rides in the curved slot 48 to cam the lever 44 into the position shown in Fig, 8. The yoke end 43 of the lever 44| thus raises the elevator block 39 from the position shown in Fig. 9 to that shown in Fig. l5, with the elevated ball 3| abutting a rubber washer 5| having a restricted aperture 52 to hold the ball 3| in the pocket 49 untila charge of compressed air is emitted into the jet 31 upon the opening of the valve 34.

The valve opening operation commences simultaneously with the foregoing ball eleva-ting operation so that a charge of compressed air is emitted substantially upon the arrival of the bail into alignment with the bore ci the barrel |2. An electromagnetic solenoid 53 is arranged on the breech block 23 with the axis of movement of its armature 54 in axial alignment with the valve plunger 35, a portion of which extends partially into the guide sleeve 55 of the solenoid 53.' The armature 53 is urged by a spring 55 into eXtreme withdrawn condition (Fig. 9') with its free end engaging a stop 51. attached to the breech block by means of a screw 58.

The solenoid 53 includes a coil 59 which is adapted to be energized momentarily, once,` upon each operation of the trigger member 49. A novel control means is providedfor synchronizing the action of the trigger with the elevation of balls to ring position. Thiscontrol means includes a set of electrical switches operable by the trigger member together with time delay means for effecting a positive and uniform cperation of the valve 34 upon each pull of the trigger. A time switch 59 is best seen in Figs. '7 and 8 as having a stationary contact 5| and a movable contact 52 adapted normaliy to bein broken circuit condition as seen in Fig. '7. This movable contact 52 is carried by an oscillating member 53 pivoted as at 54 on the breech block 23 and having its lower end normally urged, by spring means 55 *attachedl thereto, toward the trigger member 4,9,Ythe latter being likewise urged toward the oscillating member I53 by the same spring means 55. rIhe lever arm 44, heretofore described, is likewise urged into normal condition by a spring 65 which is anchored to the lower end of the oscillating member 53 as seen in Fig. 7.

lThe trigger member has a laterally extending arm 61 adapted to rotate about the pivot mounting when the trigger is actuated. The end of this arm 51 scribes an arc adjacent the oscillating member 53 and engages a trip finger 58 pivotally arranged as at 59 upon the oscillating member fd3 in a manner such as to effect a rotation of the latter about its pivotal mounting 64 counterclockwise (see Fig, 8). When the end'of arm 51 passes the trip nger 58, the member 63 will be urged back toward normal position by the spring means 65 with the movable contact 62 sweeping over the stationary Contact 6 This return movement of the oscillating member is retarded by means -oi a dash pot 59', the piston rod 19 of which has pin il and slot 12 connection with the oscillating member 63, the latter carrying the pin 1l.

This delayed return movement of the oscillating member 53 assures that contact will be made through a trigger switch 13 attached to the under side of the breech block 23 adjacent the trigger member 49. An insulated pin 14 extends laterally froin the trigger member 49 and is adapted to operatively engage the leaf spring switch 13 to position the latter in circuit completing condition during the last fraction of movement of the trigger member 49.

An electrical circuit is provided by a conductor element 15 entering the stock of the gun with a positive conductor connected toene side of the trigger switch 13, the opposite side of which is connected to the movable Contact 62. The stationary contact 6| connects circuit from the time delay switch 50 to one side of the coil 59; the opposite side of which connects to the negative conductor of the element 15.

By the foregoing operation of the trigger 49, the electrical circuit is then completed to the coil 59 to energize the latter, thus causing the armature 54 to plunge in hammer-like action against the extending end portion of the valve plunger 35. By this movement of the plunger 35, the cap 36 is displaced from its valve seat, thereby allowing a charge of compressed air to enter the jet 31 with a blast that surges through the passage 4| to force the already elevated ball 3| out of the pocket 49 through the bore of the rifle barrel i2 along a predetermined trajectory governed by the aim of the rifle.

After la time lapse suicient to give the charge necessary to blast the ball clear out of the bore of the barrel l2, the spring means 65 Will have urged the oscillating member 53 back to normal condition against the action of the dash pot 69. The coil 59 of the solenoid 53 vwill therefore become deenergized immediately after the predetermined charge of air has been effected and the trigger member 49 may now be released to permit the mechanism to" again assume a normal condition.

In returning to normal condition, the short elevating block 39 is lowered into a position with the pocket 49 in alignment with thegtube I1 of the loading magazine it, whereupon the next ball 3| will be urged into a position for elevation as heretoiore described. However, should the last ball 3| have been projected from the barrel |2 in the manner hereinbefore explained, the plunger 20 of the shot loading magazine I6 will be bearing against the elevating block 39 so that when the latter returns to lowered or normal position the free end of the plunger will seat in the pocket 40 (Fig. 11) This is among the salient objects of my invention, in that it provides a locking means for the shot elevator determined upon the projection of the last shot in the magazine I6. By reason of the interrelationship of the trigger member 49 with the elevation of the balls 3|, the trigger member 49 likewise becomes locked against further action after the lastA shot has been accomplished. By the same token there can be no use of electrical current after the gun is locked, thus conserving electrical energy and for the same reason air pressure is not releasable and therefore likewise it is not Wasted.

It is therefore seen that I have provided a novel air rie which is adapted for use in ranges'requiring uniform air charges necessary to maintaining accuracy in aim; and that I have provided a trigger mechanism of simple structure which is self-locking upon completion of a predetermined number of shots, whichis highly advantageous in arcade gallery equipment, or any other rangepracticing equipment in use.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eiect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modiiications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an air rifle having a supply source of compressed air to a breech block, a barrel, a magazine arranged beneath said barrel and adaptedto contain aligned balls,ball elevating means communicating with said barrel and said magazine and having a ball seat formed therein normally disposed to receive balls from the magazine, means urging said balls toward said ball elevating means and adapted, when no ball is` disposed in said rii'le, to enter-said ball seat and prevent movement of said ball elevating means, a lever pivotally arranged on said breech block and having its free end operatively engaging said ball elevating means, a trigger member operatively connected to said lever to cam the latter for raising said ball elevating means into alignment with said barrel, and manually operable bolt means slidably arranged on said barrel and having operative engagement with said means for urging balls toward said elevating means to withdraw the same from said ball seat to permit reloading of balls into said magazine.

2. In an air rifle having a supply source of compressed air to a breech blocka barrel, a magazine arranged beneath said barrel and adapted to contain aligned balls, ball elevating means communicating with said barrel and said magazine and normally disposed to receive balls from the latter, ball urging means urging said balls toward said ball elevating means and adapted, when the last ball has been elevated, to engage and lock said ball elevating means, a lever pivotally arranged on said breech block and having its free end operatively engaging said ball elevating means, a trigger member operatively connected to said lever to cam the latter for raising said ball elevating means into alignment` with said barrel, valve means in said `breech block between said supply source and said barrel, and means operatively associated with said trigger member for affecting said valve means to emit a charge of compressed air into said barrel, and means for facilitating a reloading of balls into said magazine, said means including a sliding bolt arranged for movement along said barrel and adapted to engage said ball urging means to withdraw the latter in a direction away from said ball elevating means.

3. In an air riile` having a supply source of compressed air to a breech block, a barrel, a magazine arranged beneath said `barrel and adapted to contain aligned balls, means urging said balls toward said breech block, ball elevating means communicating with said barrel and f said magazine and normally disposed to receive balls from the latter, a lever pivotally arranged on said breech block and having its free end operatively engaging said ballelevating means, a trigger member operatively connected to said lever to cam the latter for raising said ball elevating means into alignment `with said barrel,

valve means-arranged in said breech block intermediate said barrel and said supply source and normally disposed in closed condition by the latter, a solenoid having an armature in axial alignment with said valve means for opening the latter upon energization of said solenoid, normally opened switch means arranged in an electrical circuit withv said solenoid, said ,switch means including a stationary contact and an oscillating contact member, and spring means normally urging the latter out of engagement with said stationarycontact, said trigger mechanism operatively engaging said oscillating contact member to urge the latter into wiping electrical contact with said stationary contact to energize the solenoid for the purpose aforesaid.

4. In an air rifle having a supply source of `compressed air to a breech block, a barrei, a magazine arranged beneath said barrel and adapted to contain aligned balls, means urging said balls toward said breech block,` ball elevating means communicating with said barrel and said magazine and normally disposed to receive balls from the latter, a lever pivotally arranged on Said breech block and having its free end operatively engaging said ball elevating means, a trigger member operatively connected to said lever to cam the latter for raising said ball elevating means into alignment with said barrel, valve means arranged in said breech block intermediate said barrel and said supply source and normally disposed in closed condition by the latter, a solenoid having an armature in axial alignment with said valve means for opening the latter upon `energization `of said solenoid, normally opened switch means arranged in an electrical circuit with said solenoid, means on said trigger member and engageable'with said switch means to close the latter to energize the solenoid for thepurpose aforesaid, and time delay means for said electrical circuit for breaking said circuit after a predetermined length of time.

5. In an air riiie having a supply source of compressed air to a breech block, a barrel, a magazine arranged beneath said barrel and adapted to contain aligned balls, means urging said balls toward said breech block, ball elevating means communicating with said barrel and said magazine and normally disposed to receive balls from the latter, a lever pivotally arranged on `said breech block and having its free end operatively engaging said ball elevating means, a trigger member operatively connected to. said lever to` cam the latter for Yraising said .ball elevating means. into alignment with said barrel, valve means arranged in, said breech block intermediate saidL barrel and saidsupply source and normally disposed in closed condition by the latter, a solenoid having an armature in axial alignmentwith said valve. means for opening the latter upon energization of. said, solenoid, normally opened switch means arranged in anelectrical. circuit with` said. solenoid, means on said triggermember and engageable With said switch meansto close the latter to energize the solenoid for the purpose. aforesaid, time delay means for said. electrical circuit for breaking said circuit after a predetermined length of time, said last named means including an oscillating member, spring. means urging the latter into a normal position, said trigger mechanism operatively eni gaging the oscillating member for operation .against the action of said spring,A a stationary contact. element, a contact element carried by and movable With said' oscillating member for movement into circuit completing condition With said stationary Contact, and a dashfpot operatively connected to said oscillating member to retard movement of the latter by said spring means. f l

6. In an air riile having a supply source of compressed air to a breech block, a barrel, a magazine arranged. beneath said barrel and adapted to contain aligned balls, means urging said ballstoward. said breech block, ball elevating means. communicating with said barrel and said magazine and normally disposed to receive balls from thelatter, a lever pivotally arranged on said breech block and. having its free end operatively engaging said ball elevating means, and a trigger member operatively connected to said lever to cam the latter for raising said ball elevating means into alignment with. said barrel, said means, for urging said. balls toward said breechY block adapted to engage said ball elevating means to. lockrthe latter against movement ofk the trigger aforesaid after all the balls have been elevated. 7. In, an air rifle having a supply source, of compressed air to a breech block, a barrel, a

magazine arranged, beneath said barrel and f adapted to, contain aligned balls, means urging saidv balls toward said breech block, ball elevating means communicating With said barrel and said. magazine and normally disposed to receive balls from the latter, a lever pivotally arranged on said breech block and having its free end operatively engaging said ball elevating means, a4 trigger member operatively connected to said lever to cam the latter for raising said ball elevating means into alignment with said barrel, said means for urging said balls toward said breech block adapted to engage'said ball elevating means to lock the latter against movement of the trigger aforesaidV after all the balls have been elevated, valve means in said breech block between said supply source and said barrel, and means operatively associated with said trigger member for affecting said valve means to emit a charge of compressedair into said barrel.

8. In an air` rie having a supply source of compressed airV to a breech block, a barrel, a

magazine arrangedA beneath said ,barrel and adapted tov contain aligned balls, means urging said. balls toward said breech block, ball elevating means communicatingwith said barrel and said magazine and normally disposed to receive balls from the latter, a lever pivotally arranged on saidl breech block and having its free end operatively engaging said ball elevating means, a trigger member operatively connected to said lever tol cam the latter for raising said ball elevating means into alignment with said barrel, said means for urging said balls toward said breech block adapted to engage said ball elevatingl means to lock the latter against movement of the trigger aforesaid after all the balls have been elevated,v valve means arranged in said breech block intermediate said barrel and said supply source and normally disposed in closed condition by the latter, a solenoid having an armature in axial alignment with said valve means for opening the latter upon energization of said solenoid, normally opened switch means arranged in an electrical circuit With said solenoid, and. means on said trigger member and engageable With said switch means to close the latter to energize the solenoid for the purpose aforesaid.

9. In an air rifle having a supply source of compressed air to a breech block, a barrel, a magazine arranged beneath said barrel and adapted to contain aligned balls, means urging said balls toward said breech block, ball elevating means communicating with said barrel and said magazine and normally disposed to receive balls from the latter, a lever pivotally arranged on said breech block and. having its free end operatively engaging said ball elevating means, a trigger member operatively connected to said lever to cam the latter for raising said ball elevating means into alignment with said barrel, said means for urging said balls towardsaid breech block adapted to. engage said ball elevating means tolock the latter against movement of the trigger aforesaid after all the balls have been elevated, valveV means arranged in said breech block intermediate said barrel and said supply source and normally disposed in closed condition by the latter, a solenoid having an armature in axial alignment With said valve means for opening, the latter upon energization of said solenoid, normally opened switch means arranged in an electrical circuit with said solenoid, means on said trigger member and engageable With said switch means to close the latter to energize the solenoid for the purpose aforesaid, andtime delay means for said electrical circuit for breaking said circuit after a predetermined length of time.

10. In an air rifle having a supply source of compressed air to a breech block, a barrel, a magazine arranged beneath said barrel and adapted to contain aligned balls, means urging said balls toward said breech block, ball elevating meansr communicating With said barrel and said magazine and normally disposed to receive balls from, the latter, a lever pivotally arranged on said breech block and having its free end op.- eratively engaging said ball elevating means, a

trigger member operatively connected to saidV lever to cam the latter for raisingsaid ball elevating means into alignment With 'said barrel, said means for urging said balls toward said breechv blockl adapted to engage said'ball elevating, means toilock the latter against movement of the'trigger aforesaid after all` the balls have been;r elevated, valve means `arranged in said breech block intermediate said barrel and said supply source and normally disposed in closed condition. bythe latter,fa solenoid having an of said solenoid, normally opened switch means arranged in an electrical circuit with said solenoid, means on said trigger member and engageable with said switch means to close the latter to energize the solenoid for the purpose aforesaid, time delay means for said electrical circuit for breaking said circuit after a predetermined length of time, said last named means including an oscillating member, spring means urging the latter into a normal position, said trigger mechanism operatively engaging the oscillating member for operation against the action of said spring, a stationary contact element, a Contact element carried by and movable with said oscillating member for movement into circuit completing condition with said stationary contact, and a dash pot operatively connected to said oscillating member to retard movement of the latter by said spring means.

11. In a rifle of the class described including a breech block, a barrel, a shot magazine, a plunger in said shot magazine, means communicating said magazine with said barrel, said means comprising a shot elevating device having a shot seat formation normally aligned with said shot magazine, spring means normally urging said plunger toward said shot seat and adapted to urge the plunger into said seat when no shot is disposed therebetween, means for reciprocating said shot elevating device from normal alignment with said shot magazine to alignment with said b-arrel when shot is disposed in said shot seat, and trigger mechanism for said rifle operatively associated with said last named means for effecting movement of the latter as aforesaid when the trigger mechanism is operated to effect projection of a shot from said barrel.

12. In a rifle of the class described including a breech block, a barrel, a shot magazine, a shot conveyor disposed in said breech block between said barrel and shot magazine for conveying shot from the magazine to the barrel, trigger mechanism for said rifle, means operatively associated with said trigger mechanism and said shot conveyor for affecting movement of the latter for the purpose aforesaid, and trigger locking means in said magazine adapted to engage and lock said shot conveyor after the last shot has been projected from said rifle.

13. In a rie of the class described including a breech block, a barrel, a shot magazine, means communicating said magazine with said barrel, said means comprising a shot elevating device, means for reciprocating said shot elevating device from normal alignment with said shot magazine to alignment with said barrel, means in said shot magazine for urging shot toward said elevating device and including means adapted to extend transversely of the direction of movement of said shot elevating device when no shot is disposed in said rie to prevent reciprocation of said elevating means, trigger mechanism for said riile operatively associated with said shot elevating means for joint movement with the latter when the trigger mechanism is operated 1 to effect projection of a shot from said barrel,

and valve means arranged in said breech block, means for displacing said valve to permit a charge of air to be emitted through said barrel, said last named means being affected for operation only when said trigger mechanism and said shot elevating device are free for joint movement as aforesaid.

14. In a riile of the class described including a breech block, a barrel, a shot magazine, means communicating said magazine with said barrel, said means comprising a shot elevating device, means for reciprocating said shot elevating device from normal alignment with said shot magazine to alignment with said barrel, trigger mechanism for said rifle operatively associated with said last named means for effecting movement of the latter as aforesaid when the trigger mechanism is operated to eiect projection of a shot from said barrel, and valve means arranged in said breech block, means for displacing said valve to permit a charge of air to be emitted through said barrel, said last named means being aiTected for operation by said trigger mechanism, and trigger locking means in said magazine adapted to engage and lock said elevating device against further operation after the last shot has been projected from said barrel.

15. In a rifle of the class described including a breech block, a barrel, a shot magazine, means communicating said magazine with said barrel, said means comprising a shot elevating device, means for reciprocating said shot elevating device irom normal alignment with said shot magazine to alignment with said barrel, trigger mechanism for said riiie operatively associated with said last named means for effecting movement of the latter as aforesaid when the trigger mechanism is operated to effect projection of a shot from said barrel, valve means arranged in said breech block, means for displacing said valve to permit a charge of air to be emitted through said barrel, said last named means being aiected for operation by said trigger mechanism, and means for locking said trigger mech- 1 anism against further operation after the last 

